SIUE Students Got a Chance to Study Round the Clock for Finals Thanks to Lovejoy Library

December 22, 2015, 9:13 AM

More than 1,950 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville showed up from 11 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13 to 7 a.m. Monday, Dec. 14, not for a concert or merely social enjoyment, but to study for finals during the Elijah P. Lovejoy Library’s extended hours.

For the first time, Lovejoy Library kept its doors open for 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist SIUE students studying for finals. The extended hours began at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6 and ended at 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18. The total number of students making use of the library’s extended hours during the two-week time frame was approximately 3,900, according to Lydia Jackson, director of Research Commons.

“We’ve put in close to eight hours a day, four to five days here,” said Lily Louie, a senior in the School of Nursing’s accelerated program. Lily was studying on Dec. 15 with Alison Schweighart, also a senior in the program.

The library’s extended hours were offered due to the request from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple, the SIUE Student Government and Lovejoy Library Dean Regina McBride, said Jackson.

Waple, Student Government and McBride had received multiple requests from students who wanted the library to stay open later, Jackson added. The library’s normal hours are from 7:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and 1-11 p.m. Sunday.

“A lot of people wanted us to keep the library open for 24 hours a day all the time, but we are not able to due to the budget costs of staffing, utilities and maintenance,” Jackson explained.

“We got here at 12:30 p.m. today,” said Ciera Bryant, a sophomore majoring in nutrition. “We went to get some coffee, came back and will be here until who knows.” Bryant was studying at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 with Molly Koehl, a junior majoring in mass communications.